We all need some space to pause and take a deep breath. This blog is an attempt for me to create some breathing space in my life and to reflect on the hopes i have, the needs is see, and what God may be teaching me today.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."

Galatians 5:22-23

Thursday, July 22, 2010

July 13 - The Wind

The past two days I was in San Francisco with, Dave his family, and their exchange student, Christina. It was absolutely amazing and yet unreal at the same time. The city was so different than any city I have even seen. I’ve been to Chicago, New York City, Denver, Miami, and Detroit. Lots of different places, but San Fransisco is completely different. We drove in over the bay bridge and you instantly see houses EVERY WHERE! There is no open space, there are highways, and buildings, and house. This city isn’t flat, but built to fit into the form of the hills of the area. There are huge up hills and down hills. I would never want a stick shift there (or a bike….or roller-skates). It was just crazy to me of the lack of space and the close proximity that the people have here. It really is an interesting place. At night the city looked so pretty. The lights of the houses covered the ground and you could see the lights illuminating the whole city, you could see the rise and falls of the hills…it was so beautiful.Monday we walked around and drove around the city. We saw so many things. The first thing that we did was walk over the Golden Gate bridge. We walked there and Back. It was a lot of fu and we saw dolphins over the edge. They we went to the cable car museum, the art institute, and Lombard St. We drove past a lot of great places (many I have in pictures, but can’t remember what they actually are). In the evening we went to Fisherman’s Warf, and Pier 39 to walk around and look at the seals! They have little docks that the seals go on, and there were many covering them while we were looking at them.

Then next day we went to the pacific ocean and looke din tide pools for sea creatures and climbed on the rocks in the water watching the tide come in. There were more seals sitting along the beach we went to and there were a lot of little baby seal pups. They were so cute; they would get out of the water by doing the worm to get on shore.

Then Susie and I took the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) to meet her friend Ron, and my friend KJ to go sailing. It was a so much fun and Ron let me drive the boat for a little bit. We all had our own separate jobs while we were on the ship. WE helped put the main sail and the back sail up, we helped him pull the lines in and other things. Ron is also a pastor in the Sacramento area and is church planting. He talked to us a lot about his ministry and how he felt called to it, but also how it is going and what he has learned. One thing that Ron talked about was of sailing and our relationship with God is similar. He talked about the wind and letting go and letting God take control. So you know that the wind is there, and that in a sail boat it pulls you, but we still try so hard to control it. The same is with ministry, and our relationship with God. We try so hard to control and to be in charge, but really we need to let God move us where he will, and to respond to him. A great reminder and a fun lesson especially when we saw the difference in letting the wind take us and us trying to “control” the sail boat.

San Francisco was a great time, busy, but refreshing. It was nice taking a break from 100 degree weather and to see a new place!